Terminology » Networking Basics » 10GBASE-T vs 10GBASE-R vs 10GBASE-X vs 10GBASE-W: Key Differences

10GBASE-T vs 10GBASE-R vs 10GBASE-X vs 10GBASE-W: Key Differences

10gbase ethernet networking fiber optic copper

This tutorial explains the differences between 10GBASE-T, 10GBASE-R, 10GBASE-X, and 10GBASE-W in the context of Ethernet technology. This information is relevant to understanding Ethernet over copper, Business Gigabit Ethernet, 40Gbps Ethernet PHY, 100Gbps Ethernet PHY, and 10Gbps Ethernet PHY.

The 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard was initially defined in IEEE 802.3ae in 2002, primarily to support fiber optic media. Since then, various iterations have been developed to accommodate different media types, data rates, and distance requirements.

10 Gigabit Ethernet Physical Interface Naming Convention

The table below outlines the naming convention used for 10 Gigabit Ethernet physical interfaces.

PrefixFirst Suffix (Media Type)Second Suffix (Physical Layer Encoding Type)Third Suffix
10GBASE-C=Copper (twoaxial)
T=Copper(UTP)		S=Short
L=Long
E=Extended
Z=Ultra extended
R= LAN PHY
W=WAN PHY
X=LAN PHY		4 = 4 WWDM wavelengths or 4 XAUI lanes
M = Multimode

Explanation:

  • 10GBASE-: 10G stands for 10 Gigabit per second, BASE stands for Baseband.
  • Suffixes: Further specify the medium (copper or fiber), encoding scheme, and distance capabilities.

Key Differences: 10GBASE-T vs 10GBASE-R vs 10GBASE-X vs 10GBASE-W

The primary distinctions between these 10 Gigabit Ethernet subgroups lie in their supported medium, data rate, distance coverage, and physical layer specifications.

10GBASE-T

  • Features:
    • Supports 64B/65B signal encoding.
    • Designed for transmission over twisted pair cabling (copper).
    • Uses Baseband 16-level PAM signaling with 3.125 information bits per symbol.
    • Employs 128-DSQ plus LDPC(2048,1723) and a Tomlinson-Harashima precoder at the transmitter.
    • Operates with full-duplex echo cancellation.
    • Achieves 800 Mbaud with less than 500 MHz bandwidth.
    • Requires FEXT (Far-End Crosstalk) cancellation.

10GBASE-R

  • Features:
    • Supports 64B/66B signal encoding.
    • Designed for transmission over optical fiber medium.
    • Variants: 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-ER, and 10GBASE-LRM.

10GBASE-X

  • Features:
    • Supports 8B/10B signal encoding.
    • Supports both copper (10GBASE-CX4) and fiber optic (10GBASE-LX4) mediums.

10GBASE-W

  • Features:
    • Supports 64B/66B signal encoding.
    • Designed for transmissions over OC-192 SONET-based optical fiber systems.
    • Variants: 10GBASE-SW, 10GBASE-LW, and 10GBASE-EW.